Distracted Drivers Ignoring School Bus Stop Safety

As Bart and Lisa scramble for the school bus to Springfield Elementary on “The Simpsons” this fall, millions of American kids are repeating the same ritual. More than 25 million children ride school buses each day in the United States, and virtually all of them have a safe ride. In fact, of all the ways your child can get to school, none is safer than the school bus.

But that doesn’t mean parents should be complacent. The most risky part of the school bus ride isn’t the ride itself – it’s getting on and off the bus, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Drivers in a hurry who speed around parked school buses are a serious danger to schoolchildren at bus stops, who often dart or step into traffic unexpectedly. But recent studies and reports show that many drivers are not only ignoring warning lights, they’re flaunting the law by texting on their cell as they roll through school zones.

Flashing light runners and distracted drivers

Most state laws require drivers to stop when a school bus displays its flashing red lights, but these laws vary and are routinely violated. A 2014 survey of more than 97,000 school bus drivers found more than 75,000 drivers illegally zoomed past school buses dropping off or picking up passengers in a single day.

“Red light runners are a huge problem,” says Jennifer Hanshew, state president of the California Association of School Transportation Officials (CASTO). “I don’t know if they don’t see the lights or if it’s because we’re all in a hurry, but those are potentially your nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. It’s important to stop.”

Distracted drivingis another enormous problem in school zones, according to auto insurance carriers and consumer groups. In an in-depth study on distracted driving in school zones by SafeKids.org, researchers found that of 41,426 drivers observed traveling through a school zone on a given day, one in six was distracted. Slightly more women were distracted than men (187 women out of every thousand, compared to 154 men). Women were also more likely to be distracted by cell phones and electronics and grooming, while men and women were equally distracted while driving by eating, reaching behind the seat and reading.

A few other intriguing factoids from the school zone study: Drivers of big vehicles, such as SUVs, pickup trucks and minivans, were more distracted than people driving cars. Regardless of gender, drivers who weren't wearing seat belts were 35% more likely to be distracted. And drivers in states that restricted the use of cell phones and other handheld devices in drivers of all ages were 13% less likely to be distracted than those in other states.

News reports also suggest many drivers -- including some parents of schoolchildren -- are aware of distracted driving laws but choose to flaunt them. In Texas, despite a hefty fine of $200 for using cell phones in a school zone, some sneaky drivers in school zones opt for stealth texting – a highly dangerous option. “A lot of them, what they’ll do, instead of just getting off their cell phone, they’ll take their cell phone and put it in their lap,” Deputy Greg Nason of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office told KHOU-TV last year. “And they’re looking down at the floorboard at their phone while they’re texting.”

All this contributes to schoolchildren being hurt or even killed. Fewer than 0.05 deaths since 1998 are related to school transportation, according to federal safety agencies, but this still means that an average of 19 school children die needlessly each year. Of those children, fourteen are pedestrians, nearly half of whom are between 5 and 7 years old. And 24% are killed by cars or trucks rather than school buses.

Tips for school bus stop safety

No matter how much of a hurry you’re in, slow down when you get to a school zone and pull over and park if you need to check your messages or text. Here are some other safety tips to pass on to your children, courtesy of NHTSA, insurance carriers and the American Academy of Pediatrics:

Don't rush. Plan things so you get to the bus stop five minutes early: That way you don’t have to hurry. Arrange to walk to and from the bus stop with a friend or someone in your family. And never run for the bus.

No roughhousing. Stand at least six feet from the approaching school bus while you’re waiting at the bus stop. Insurers also warn kids not to push, wrestle or rough-house in line – someone could slip and fall in the street.

Wait to move toward the bus until it stops. Never walk toward the bus until the bus driver has stopped it completely, opened the door and turned on the flashing safety lights.

“One of the most important things for students to do is to stay back until the bus has come to a complete stop,” says Hanshew, “When the driver has opened the doors, that’s when it is safe for the student to approach.”

Be aware of the school bus “danger zone.” Be especially careful in the area 10 to 12 feet encircling the bus. It’s dangerous because the bus driver – and other drivers – may find it hard to see your child there.

Treat the bus ride like any other ride. “It’s like riding the tram at an amusement park,” Hanshew says. “Stay in your seat until the school bus comes to a complete stop.” According to HealthyKids.org, most kids are seriously injured or worse when they’re in a hurry to get on or off the bus and don’t pay attention to surrounding traffic.

Kids on a parked school busShutterstock

Stay in your seat. Find a seat and stay put. If the bus has seat belts, buckle up. Do what the driver tells you to do, and talk quietly so he or she can concentrate. No matter how tempting, don’t stick anything out of a bus window.

When you exit, keep your eyes on the bus and oncoming cars. When getting off the bus, cross the street in front of the bus and make sure the bus driver sees you. Always watch for surrounding traffic, and never cross a street without checking both ways for traffic (tell your child to look left, then right, then left again). If you have a cell phone, don’t make calls, listen to music or text when you’re crossing the street. And – very important -- if you drop something near the bus, always notify the driver before you try to pick it up.

--Mary Purcell contributed to this report.

Diana Hembree has covered business, health and science issues for Time Inc., MoneyGeek.com and other media and is working on an M.S. in Sustainable Food Systems from Green Mountain College.

I’ve spent years covering consumer finance, science, health and the workplace as a journalist and editor based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I serve as the senior content director for MoneyGeek.com, a Reno-based personal finance website that helps consumers make smart finan...